1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric junction box for installation in a vehicle. More particularly, the electric junction box can be used in both a right hand drive vehicle (a vehicle having the steering wheel on the right side) and a left hand drive vehicle (a vehicle having the steering wheel on the left side). Fuse replacements for the electric junction box are performed through fuse-replacement openings which have the same shape and are provided at locations symmetrically left to right to each other in a right hand drive vehicle and a left hand drive vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an electric junction box for installation in a vehicle has fuse-connecting units formed on an external surface of the case of the electric junction box. When a fuse fitted in a fuse-connecting unit is melted (shorted) due to a high current condition, the melted fuse is replaced through a fuse-replacement opening provided on the body-side of the vehicle. For such an electric junction box, the following problem exists. When a fuse is replaced through the fuse-replacement opening which has the same shape and is provided at symmetric locations in a right hand drive vehicle and a left hand drive vehicle, in order to provide the fuse-connecting units in a location aligned with the fuse-replacement opening, it is necessary to provide separately an electric junction box for installation in a right hand drive vehicle and an electric junction box for installation in a left hand drive vehicle, in which the fuse-connecting units are provided at different locations.
More particularly, as shown in FIG. 13(A), when electric junction box 1 for installation in a right hand drive vehicle is installed at a predetermined location in a right hand drive vehicle, fuse-connecting units 2 are provided in electric junction box 1 at a location aligned with fuse-replacement opening 3. However, as shown in FIG. 13(B), when electric junction box 1 for installation in a right hand drive vehicle is installed at a predetermined location in a left hand drive vehicle, some of fuse-connecting units 2A are not provided in a location aligned with fuse-replacement opening 3 so that fuse replacements cannot be performed through fuse-replacement opening 3. Therefore, electric junction box 1′ for installation in a left hand drive vehicle is provided, in which the location of the fuse-connecting units is changed as compared to electric junction box 1 for installation in a right hand drive vehicle. As shown in FIG. 14, when electric junction box 1′ is installed in a left hand drive vehicle, all fuse-connecting units 2′ are provided in a location aligned with fuse-replacement opening 3.
In order to eliminate the problem of having to provide separately an electric junction box for installation in a right hand drive vehicle and an electric junction box for installation in a left hand drive vehicle, in Japanese Laid Open Utility Model Publication H6-45287, as shown in FIG. 15, electric junction box 4 that can be used for installation in both a right hand drive vehicle and a left hand drive vehicle has been disclosed. On upper case 5 and lower case 6 of electric junction box 4, connector units 5a and 6a, respectively, having the same shape and configuration, are provided. As FIG. 15(A) shows, when electric junction box 4 is installed in a right hand drive vehicle, lower case 6 is placed on the dashboard 7 side, fuse-holder 8 is mounted in connector unit 5a on upper case 5 so that fuse-connecting units are provided on the passenger compartment side, and connector 9 of a terminal of wire harness W/H is fitted from the front-side of the vehicle in connector 6a on lower case 6. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15(B), when electric junction box 4 is installed in a left hand drive vehicle, by turning electric junction box 4 over, upper case 5 is placed on the dashboard 7 side, fuse-holder 8 is mounted in connector unit 6a on lower case 6 so that fuse-connecting units are formed on the passenger compartment side, and connector 9 of the terminal of wire harness W/H is fitted in connector 5a on upper case 5.
In the above-described electric junction box 4 of the prior art of JP H6-45287, the fuse-connecting units are provided by using fuse-holder 5, which is a separate part from electric junction box 4, so that the fuse-connecting units can be provided on the passenger compartment side even when electric junction box 4 is installed with upper and lower sides reversed. However, since electric junction box 4 and fuse-holder 5 are provided separately, there is a problem that the number of parts and the number of worker-hours are increased. Further, when there is a mismatch in the relative positions of the fuse-replacement opening in a right hand drive vehicle and a left hand drive vehicle, there is a problem that it may be not possible to provide the fuse-connecting units in a location aligned with the fuse-replacement opening.